With hopes of appealing to drivers who today drive a Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu or similar car, Volkswagen on Tuesday previewed an all-new 2020 Passat midsize sedan with a restyled interior and new sculpted body.

“We don't want to abandon sedans,” Mark Gillies, senior manager of product communications for Volkswagen, told the Free Press during the event at Port Detroit. “We think it’s an important segment and we’re sticking with it. We know there are customers who love sedans and don’t want an SUV, and we want to cater to them."

The 2020 Passat will debut at the Detroit auto show in January 2019. Photos weren't allowed Tuesday.

The car has a body that might be compared to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. It has most driver-assist options, including lane assist, blind-spot assist and auto cruise. The infotainment system has been updated. The whole exterior is redone except the roof.

"We've tried to turn heads with this car," said Steven Warrick, senior manager of mid- and full-size products for Volkswagen based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "And with some competitors leaving the segment ..."

The vehicle competes in a segment that includes Camry, Accord, Malibu, Subaru Legacy and Mazda 6.

While trucks and SUVs dominate the growth areas in automotive, millions of consumers continue to buy traditional passenger cars each year.

Volkswagen officials see the Passat as a good fit for consumers who appreciate a European option in the midsize sedan market because, fact is, some people just don’t enjoy the physical size of an SUV, Gillies said.

“And there are some efficiencies in the sedan, like fuel economy and handling, for instance,” he said. “We are the only European contender in the class.”

The framework of the new Passat is the same architecture as its past design, with no electric or hybrid version in the 2019 model, Gillies said.

Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst at Edmunds, questioned how much VW will be able to attract buyers from other brands.

"We don't generally see Ford and GM shoppers looking at Passat in any notable numbers," she said. "So the fact they are shutting down car lines doesn't translate into a windfall for Volkswagen. GM is keeping the Malibu, which from a size standpoint is closer to the Passat."

"For Ford Fusion shoppers, 4.6 percent are looking at the Jetta," Caldwell said. "Passat is a also negligible number."

In 2018, Passat has accounted for 2.7 percent of midsize sedan sales.

"Displaced shoppers are more likely to go to the big names in the segment — Accord and Camry," Caldwell said.

Much about the Passat itself is a carry-over from the previous model. The company left alone areas that customers said they liked and modified those areas that needed improvement. No prices are available yet.